Cazenovia Creek Habitat Restoration and Stewardship Project

In August 1999, the Erie County Department of Environment and
Planning (DEP) was awarded a $69,750.00 grant from the Great Lakes
National Program Office (GLNPO) of the United States Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA). This funding was provided in order to
pursue a project entitled “Cazenovia Creek Habitat Restoration and
Stewardship Project” heretofore referred to as “the project.” Erie
County contributed $49,610.00 of the total project costs, which were
$119,360.00. The goal of the project was to restore habitat in the
Buffalo River Watershed, specifically Cazenovia Creek, and to
institute a perpetual community-level stewardship resource for its
continual protection.

The Erie County Legislature passed the Resolution to implement
the project on November 4, 1999. Due to staff turn over, the
original completion date of September 30, 2001 was extended, at
no-cost, to the USEPA. The grant was officially closed out on May
31, 2002.

Cazenovia Creek was, in part, chosen for this project because it
is a main tributary to the Buffalo River of which the lower portion
had been identified by the Great Lakes Water Quality Board of the
International Joint Commission (IJC) as one of the
43 Areas of
Concern (AOC) in the Great Lakes Region. This designation was due to
the river’s poor water quality and contaminated sediments. Through
previous research it is determined that much of sediment load to the
Buffalo River has its source in the upper watershed, along the
streambanks of Cazenovia Creek. Sediments originating in Cazenovia
Creek transport and deposit contaminants into the Buffalo River.

DEP’s project proposal outlined three key elements in order to
meet the goals of habitat restoration and community stewardship.
These elements were organized into three phases:

Phase I: Establish a Project Partnership

Phase II: Curriculum Development

Phase III: Program Implementation

Each of these three phases is described in detail in the
subsequent sections. The final section of this report is the
conclusion, which focuses on accomplishments, as well as lessons
learned throughout the project. It is the goal of that last section
to reveal factors, ideas, and questions for other entities to
consider when pursuing such an initiative.

ESTABLISH A PROJECT PARTNERSHIP

The first step was to establish a steering committee, and the
first meeting was held in May 2000. Now called the Cazenovia Creek
Curriculum Committee (CCCC), it was made up of representatives from
Erie County DEP, Erie County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD),
New York Sea Grant, and teachers from Main Street Elementary (East
Aurora), Potters Road Elementary and Winchester Elementary (West
Seneca), Holland Central High School (Holland), and The Gow School
(South Wales). A teacher from the Amherst School District served as
an advisor of the Adopt-A-Stream program. In 2001, three more
teachers/classrooms from the Buffalo Public Schools joined the CCCC.
A private school, The Park School of Buffalo, also joined in 2002,
which brings the total schools to nine.

The following summarizes the activities of the CCCC since May
2000:

the CCCC met 11 times over two years

CCCC members participated in two trainings - Aquanauts, and
Project WET (Water Education for Teachers)

Planned, organized and implemented the Cazenovia Creek Lab
Day, held March 7, 2001 at Winchester Elementary School

assisted with the organization of 7 Cazenovia Creek streambank
plantings and clean-ups

conducted 4 watershed tours with students

laid a framework for curriculum

In November 2001, a new initiative called "Western New York:
Connecting To Learn" was established and approximately 30 new
program partners began to collaborate on regional environmental
education. The Program will connect students from
urban, rural, and suburban communities via long distance learning
and video conference technology. The steering committee was divided
up into three working groups, Organizational Infrastructure,
Technology, and Curriculum Development. CCCC members Helen Domske,
Dianne Johnson, Gail Hall, Jill Jedlicka, and Joanna Tuk have
focused their Cazenovia Creek efforts into participation on the
Connecting To Learn Program.

The following summarizes the activities of the C2L Working Groups
since November 2001:

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

The main goal of this task, as proposed, was "to develop the
desired level of community outreach and support for the restoration
project", and to "encourage teachers to use the watershed as an
outdoor living laboratory". Stewardship components were established
as critical objectives.

The curriculum will be finalized during the summer and fall of
2002. The Connecting To Learn Program will utilize the experiences
and lessons learned in the Cazenovia Creek Project to assemble water
quality and stewardship curriculum.

The curriculum framework is to include:

Five key instructional elements

water quality

field trips

cooperative learning

technology

team driven/expert learning

The five core ideas will include

Community/School Based projects & Environmental Stewardship

Ecosystem Health

Watershed Focus/Connecting Local to Global Issues

Water Quality

Aquatic Ecology

Basis for curriculum development by using the following:

Cazenovia Creek Habitat Restoration and Stewardship Project

Aquanauts Water Quality testing program

NYS Angler Cohort Study

Niagara Falls Aquarium Aquatic Ecology Program

The Connecting To Learn program will offer a "Watershed FX -
Futuristic and eXperiential" curriculum that will be project driven. Teachers
will be trained in technology and curriculum, but allow for
independent implementation of the program into their classrooms.

The curriculum will be localized within the watershed and the
participating students will be identified as teams to generate
buy-in at the student level. Teachers will be required to take part
in a training, and they will get instruction/training, educational
materials, support services and contacts with experts. The
curriculum will help implement New York State Learning Standards
1,2,4,6 and 7. Teachers and administrators will be accountable and
required to apply the project into their local community.

Because of the relationship with project partners and Erie I and
Erie II BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) local
schools who participate in the Watershed FX program may be eligible
for reimbursement of up to 60-90% of their costs, and in essence the
program becomes self-sustaining.

Local Girl Scouts participate in a
water education workshop at Earth Day
Exposition 2002 at Buffalo State College.

View of the Buffalo State College Sports
Arena during Earth Day Expo 2002. It is
estimated that 2,500 people
attended the event throughout the day.

"Ronny the Raindrop", the Erie County SWCD mascot, poses
in front of several displays at the Earth Day Expo 2002

IMPLEMENTATION

The category of "program implementation" consists of everything
from teacher and student training, to fieldwork, cooperative
learning, etc. The major tasks associated with this phase include
the plantings, data collection and sharing, and promotion of
environmental stewardship.

Teacher trainings - summer 2001

EnviroScape presentations - 8 total

Aquanauts water quality testing - 6 sites, 8 events

Cazenovia Creek Lab Days - 2 total, one only for Winchester
students

Watershed tours - 4 total

Streambank plantings - 5 locations, 7 events

Publicity and environmental education

Environmental Events - 5 total (2001 Great Lakes Student
Summit, two Earth Day Expos, and 2 Earth Day T-shirt Contests)

Curriculum development

Next steps - Connecting To Learn curriculum set to be completed
by Fall 2002, implemented into five pilot classrooms in Spring 2003.

Each of the project tasks resulted in many accomplishments and
revealed lessons that the DEP can be applied to other projects. The
work done in each task also leveraged other opportunities to restore
habitat and participate in community outreach activities. The first
section of this final chapter addresses the accomplishments of the
tasks. The second section addresses some of the lessons learned
throughout the project.

Key Accomplishments

nearly 1,000 linear feet of streambank stabilization work

direct participation of over 400 students during the 2 1/2 year
project

publicity and raised awareness of Cazenovia Creek and the
Buffalo River Watershed issues

over 2,000 students indirectly participated through
complementary programs like the Great Lakes Student Summit, Earth
Day Expo, and Earth Day T-Shirt design contest

two teacher training events

evolution into ongoing program (Connecting To Learn) as a new
vehicle to continue the goals and objectives of the Cazenovia Creek
project

Individual school participation:

1.Winchester
Elementary School, Ms. Gail Hall:

One of the first schools involved
with the project. Winchester hosted two lab days, performed 3
days of streambank restoration and water quality testing at the
West Seneca Soccer Complex, utilized the EnviroScape watershed
model to learn about the Cazenovia Creek Watershed, appeared in
the local paper several times, and teacher Ms. Gail Hall helped
implement a new Land & Water Unit into her classroom based on the
Cazenovia Creek program. The "Winchester Aquanauts" have proven
to be the most energetic and enthusiastic classroom involved with
the project. They will continue stewardship of Cazenovia Creek as
they were chosen to be one of the five pilot schools for the
Connecting To Learn Program.

2.Holland Central High School, Ms. Susan Grieser:

Holland students studied aerial
photos of the watershed and performed water quality testing in
their town. They discovered and reported an illegal discharge in
to the Creek and learned about the Clean Water Act and permit
process. Students assisted with the streambank stabilization at
Kissing Bridge Ski Area.

3.The Gow School, Mr. Dale Hazen:

Even though Dale Hazen's Gow
students have learning disabilities, they proved to be good role
models and taught many of the younger students about the
micro-organisms and invertebrates that rely on the Creek to
survive. The boys participated in streambank stabilization in
south Wales, and were instructors during the Lab Day in 2001.
They continued to study the creek as it runs through the campus
property and share their findings with the other students in the
school.

4.Potters Road Elementary School, Mr. Bill O'Shei:

Bill O'Shei's students were
introduced to the concept of a watershed for the first time with a
presentation of the EnviroScape Watershed model. They learned
quickly and also participated in water quality testing and
streambank stabilization at Cazenovia Park. A photo taken of the
Potters Road students planting willow stakes won an honorable
mention by the National Association of Conservation Districts as
part of their contest for images that best depict conservation.

5.School #59 - Science Magnet School, Ms. Sharon Pikul:

Ms. Pikul's classrooms have been
involved with environmental education programs with DEP in the
past and it was not difficult to launch the program in the Science
Magnet school during the Fall of 2001. After September 11, the
students were not permitted to leave school grounds, so DEP staff
performed an EnviroScape presentation and did water quality
testing in-class. Soon after, the Buffalo School Board claimed a
$9 million budget deficit, and practically all extracurricular
activities were eliminated. Over 400 teachers were laid-off
city-wide and teachers, involved with ongoing labor disputes, were
not able to commit the time or energy to the program for the
remainder of the year. Ms. Pikul does intend on bringing her
students to the 2003 Great Lakes Student Summit where they will
display and present their research on water quality.

6.Main Street Elementary School, Dr. John Newton:

Dr. John has incorporated the
study of Cazenovia Creek into his classroom for the past several
years and was one of the teachers instrumental in creating this
grant program. His classrooms participated in day-long watershed
tours and restoration field trips. The students shared their
classroom study with the rest of the school, their parents and the
community through local newspapers. Dr. John will continue his
annual Cazenovia Creek treks in the years to come and is a great
example of a teacher dedicated to creating a sense of stewardship
for the environment into his students.

7.Buffalo Public School #71, Ms. Mary Jean Syrek:

Ms. Syrek moved to
School #71 from the Science Magnet School for the 2001-2002 school
year. Unfortunately the sixth grade classroom exists in a school
that is considered "under review" due to poor student
performance. The students "had very little knowledge of
environmental science and the word stewardship was not in their
vocabulary". Ms. Syrek introduced the concept of watersheds to
them first through wetlands and curriculum that she implemented in
her previous school. After several days of instruction, each
student created his or her own "paper wetland". The students were
not able to leave school grounds and the newly placed school
principal did not permit any additional classroom instruction
other than Reading Writing and Speaking. Even though School #71
did not participate fully in the program, Ms. Syrek does believe
that "what we did will make an impact on these students in the way
they view our waters around us."

8.The Park School of Buffalo, Mrs. Beth Schoelkopf:

Mrs. Schoelkopf learned of the
Cazenovia Creek Habitat Restoration and Stewardship Project
through the efforts of Ellen Ilardo, SWCD staff. The Park School
became involved in the spring of 2002 by offering to do field work
as part of their science curriculum. Students cut down Japanese
knotweed and planted streamco willow and red osier dogwood
seedlings. The Park School students will also be participating in
the 2003 Great Lakes Student Summit.

9.Waterfront Elementary School, Ms. Dianne Johnson:

The 2001-2002 school year was
also the first year for Waterfront Elementary students (Buffalo
Public School #57). DEP and SWCD staff performed two in-class
presentations at the Waterfront school, one to introduce the
EnviroScape Watershed model, and the second to show aerial photos
of the watershed and to perform water quality testing. Students
also participated in a modified watershed bus tour, and visited
the Cazenovia Park restoration area. Due to the Buffalo Public
School financial crisis and the reorganization of Ms. Johnson's
classroom, School #57 was unable to continue formally on the
project during the spring semester of 2002.

Accountability is the Key. During the different stages of the
project it became obvious that because there was no written
agreement or Memorandum of Understanding it led to the lack of
accountability by the selected teachers and lack of buy-in from the
administrators. The spin-off program, "WNY: Connecting To Learn",
will avoid this mistake by requiring all participating schools and
teachers to sign a written agreement with clearly defined goals and
responsibilities. Also, administrators for each district will be
consulted prior to the implementation of the program.

Follow-through is a must. The plantings and streambank
stabilization was successful only because follow-up maintenance and
replacement plantings were done two years in a row. This also helped
develop the sense of stewardship for the students at their adopted
sites. The Soil and Water Conservation District was an ideal partner
to delegate this responsibility and offered accountability.

Program implementation must be flexible. Teachers should be
given the flexibility to implement the program based on the skill
level of their students and the time available to commit to the
project. A one-size-fits-all program will not work for a diverse
audience. The students easily identify with local ecological values
and concerns.

Partnerships do not maintain themselves. It takes hard work
and persistence to maintain positive partnerships. Though some
partners were not able to live up to their verbal commitments the
relationships remained positive. This is important for future
collaborations, especially when coupled with the policy of Lesson
#1.

Create opportunity for continuation of project without
immediate oversight. Enabling teachers and communities to maintain
the program on their own without outside funding or management.
Making yourself available for continued advice or future outreach
events gives the teachers the confidence to maintain the program on
their own. Avoid the tendency to "abandon" partners once the funding
has run out.